Disclaimer: Anything, songs, characters, etc., that you recognize from the series does not belong to me. Any other characters do.
Chapter Nine
"Lord Van and Aunt Hitomi, Lord Van and Aunt Hitomi, say I do, say I do…" The voices of the two little girls grew faint as they ran down the hall.
Hitomi groaned. "Did you have to teach them that song, Harumi? It was cute in the beginning, but now it's starting to annoy me."
Harumi shrugged apologetically. "They were bored, what else was I supposed to do?"
"Teach them something quiet," Hitomi said through clenched teeth. Harumi didn't think this was such a big deal, but Hitomi was rather moody today, and she didn't want her to bite her head off. Why she was like this on her wedding day, Harumi wasn't sure. She'd believed that brides were supposed to be happy, maybe a bit nervous, but nothing more. But she didn't intend on asking Hitomi about it.
"Do I look okay?" she asked, converting to the nervous, insecure, Queen-to-be Hitomi.
"Yes, for the thousandth time, you look beautiful!" Millerna exclaimed, trying to hide her exasperation. Harumi wasn't the only one who was staying on her toes that morning.
"Actually, it was the fourteenth time," Tatiana said matter-of-factly.
Millerna looked at her daughter. "That's one of the worst things you've learned from you father," she said affectionately, squeezing her shoulders. "You know how to count." The others laughed. "Now go play with the other girls."
"Okay," Tatiana took off, her blond braid bouncing as she ran.
Hitomi touched up her lipstick again. "Okay, I think I'm ready. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Merle said. She gave her a hug. "We'd better go get dressed and check on the boys. If I know Lord Van, he's probably going to have cold feet today. He…"
"What?" Hitomi said, alarmed. "After all we went through, he'd better not."
"… never wears his socks," Merle finished. Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief. "Come on girls." The four women filed out of the room, including Celena who'd barely said a word that morning.
Hitomi gazed in the mirror for a long time. Then she buried her face in her hands.
* * * * * *
Harumi lagged back a few feet down the hall. "I'll be right back," she said, turning abruptly.
"What's the matter?" asked Millerna.
"I forgot to do something," she lied. Harumi never believed in magic, or ESP, or anything of the sort, but she had a gut feeling that something was wrong. She raced down the hall, almost passing Hitomi's room. She skidded to a stop.
"Hitomi?" she said, popping her head in the room. She was answered by muffled sobs.
"Hitomi, what's wrong?" she asked, coming into the room and putting her arm around her cousin.
Hitomi looked up at her and wiped her eyes. "Oh, I'm just being silly, crying before my own wedding." She smiled weakly. "I was just thinking, wishing really, that our family and my friends could be here to see this."
"That's not silly," Harumi replied. "I know it won't be the same, but I'm sure we'll see them again someday."
Hitomi gazed at her intensely. "You think so?"
Harumi smiled. "I know so. I may not be psychic like you, but my readings can be pretty accurate sometimes." Hitomi laughed, but then grew serious again.
"Well, that was just one of the things that was worrying me."
"What else?"
Hitomi shook her head. "It's probably nothing. Don't worry about it." Only Van knew about Nikki's dream. They'd both agreed that it was best not to mention it, so not to cause alarm. At least, not until the wedding was over.
"Don't you have to get dressed?" Hitomi said, standing and ushering her out.
Harumi knew that she was trying to get off the topic and decided to let her get away with it, this time. "Okay, but if you need to talk or anything, just come to me."
"Thanks, but I'll be fine." She shooed her away, closing the door behind her. But not before she gave silent thanks for having such caring people here on Gaea.
* * * * * *
"How do I look?" Van asked his audience, which included all the men, plus Nikki and Mia, who had become bored with singing and volunteered to help him instead.
"You look like a prince in a storybook," Nikki said. He did have a very regal look to him. He was wearing a white shirt with gold braiding around the cuffs and color and plain black pants. But what made it so royal was the dark red cape he wore over it. It hung from his shoulders just an inch off the floor.
Van scrutinized himself in the mirror. "Seriously, what do you think?"
"Absolutely fabulous!" Nikki said.
"Simply ravishing," added Mia. Both girls were sporting the sunglasses Dryden had given them, which covered most of their faces.
Van rolled his eyes and looked at the men for a more serious answer.
"Very nice," Allen said wearily, more to shut him up than anything else.
"You're not even looking!" Van shouted out him, slightly hurt at Allen's indifference. This was true, as he was working on combing out a rather large knot in his long blond hair.
"You look fine," Chid assured him. Dryden and Kyle nodded in agreement. The door flung open and Merle ran in.
"You girls need to get dressed," she said, pushing them out and ignoring their whines. "Aw, Lord Van, you look so cute!" she exclaimed.
Van blushed. "You think so?" Now it was the others' turn to roll their eyes.
"You look so cute!" Kyle said teasingly, mimicking his wife.
Merle slapped his arm playfully. "You don't look too bad yourself."
"Aw, you think so?" He pulled her close to him.
Van made a gagging noise. "Uh, this is my wedding day, not your honeymoon," he said. "So, you think you could do that somewhere else?"
"Fine, we were just about to leave anyway." She grinned at him and dragged her husband out the door.
"We'd better go to," said Allen. "I have to put the finishing touches on my speech."
"We'll help you," Chid volunteered. They filed out of the room.
Van straightened his cape one last time. He did look pretty good, if he said so himself. He could hear music playing outside. Van took a deep breath. It was time.
* * * * * *
Van shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes not leaving the bronze doors of the castle. He stood next to the priest under a white marble arc in the middle of a circle of bushes, pine branches, and even some small trees. It looked, as Millerna would say, like a green emerald. Van looked upward at the new Fanelian symbol, a dark green dragon with a single white feather floating next to it, which hung about the door. Next to him stood Allen, Dryden, Kyle and Chid, all dressed like him, except not quite as fancy and without the cape, and with bright smiles on their faces. Across from them, on the other side, stood the women: Merle, Harumi, Millerna, and Celena, and Mia and Nikki. They stood out like a rainbow against the greenery, wearing long v-neck dresses in a mixture of different colors; Merle's- a pale peach, Millerna's- pink, Harumi's-yellow, and Celena's- lilac. Mia and Nikki wore dresses the same color as their mother and cousin.
A row of chairs, with a narrow aisle between, were placed a few feet away, where van's advisors and other palace officials sat, along with Princess Eries and Tatiana, who weren't taking part in the ceremony. Outside of it was a sea of people, all eagerly awaiting he marriage of their king and the chance to see their new queen.
The ceremony wasn't anything like a Mystic moon wedding, Japanese or otherwise. Rather, it completely followed Fanelian tradition. Van's advisors had insisted on that. What exactly the tradition was, he wasn't really sure. A royal wedding hadn't been celebrated since long before his reign.
The doors finally swung open, causing a hush among the crowd. Hitomi walked out slowly, holding the sides of her dress so she wouldn't trip. Van's lips turned up into a grin when he saw her. Though everyone present thought she simply looked pretty, he never thought she'd looked more beautiful. His grin widened when he saw her dress. No other girl that his advisors tried to get him to marry would wear that. If they would marry him at all, that is, once they found out he was half-Draconian. But that didn't matter to Hitomi at all, just like he didn't care (unlike many others) that she was from the Mystic Moon.
Hitomi came up to the altar and took his arm, smiling brightly. Van took quick inventory of the crowd. His closest friends were there: Merle, Allen. But there were some people missing. Van felt a wave of sadness wash over him.
Hitomi squeezed his arm. "I wish my family were here too," she whispered. Van put his arm around her waist, and looked into her eyes, to tell her that it was, and he was, all right. And it would be, in a way. Even though Folken or her friends or their parents weren't there, they finally had each other again. That was the important thing for now.
The priest cleared his throat. "Van Fanel, our king, has reigned for fifteen years in splendor. He has brought peace and prosperity to our country. We here hope this union will ensure our continued success in the future. Today we bring forth to the throne a new queen, the lady Hitomi… um, um…" He fumbled with a piece of paper in his hand.
"Kanzaki!" Van hissed.
"Of course, the lady Hitomi Kanzaki. Our new queen…"
"Is he going to ramble on for the whole ceremony?" Hitomi whispered.
Van shrugged. "How should I know? I've never done this before. At least, not that many times," he added teasingly.
Hitomi elbowed him and tried to turn her attention back to what the priest was saying. But it sounded mostly like "Blah, blah, blah, something, something, blah, blah, blah." Hitomi felt her eyelids droop. She wasn't the only one who wasn't listening.
Merle grinned as she watched the couple whispering. She'd never seen Van look so happy, and all because of Hitomi. Though a tiny part of her was still obsessed with her king, she didn't feel jealous at all. It used to be her dream to be up there in Hitomi's place. How things have changed, Merle thought to herself. She was glad it was Hitomi, and not a stranger. She would treat Van well. That was all she wanted, his happiness. I've done pretty well for myself anyway," she thought, glancing at her daughter and her husband. Kyle was scratching his ear vigorously as if he had fleas. He caught her eye and blew her a kiss.
Allen smiled, noticing the exchange between the husband and wife. He sighed, a mixture of happiness and longing. Figures, I'm the only one who's alone now. Talk about your irony. He gazed out into the crowd. Princess Eries smiled at him. He waved to her. Then again, maybe I'm not so alone. He transferred his gaze towards his little sister. She was fiddling with a lock of hair and staring into space. Allen's smile faded. He made a mental note to ask what was bothering her after the ceremony.
Celena ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth. It'd been sore since the morning. She'd bitten it to prevent herself from screaming after another nightmare, as awful as the ones the previous few nights. For the past fifteen years, they'd come on and off, but never this bad, nor this often. Perhaps it was something about Fanelia. This was, after all, where it all began.
Harumi smoothed out her dress carefully and ran her fingers through her hair. Never had she felt more self-conscious about her looks before this day, even when she'd went to a dance with the boy's track star in high school. She felt a tug on her sleeve and looked down into the sweet face of her little cousin. Prepared, she silently reached into her pocket and produced a piece of paper and a pencil stub. Nikki bounded over to Mia. Harumi heard her whisper loudly, "Wanna play tic-tac-toe?" She put her finger to her lips in warning then turned back to the altar. But she couldn't concentrate. It was as if every eye was on her, even though it wasn't. Though she tried to hide it with a tough attitude, Harumi was, in reality, rather shy, especially in front of large crowds. She was as nervous as if she were the one getting married. Her glance fell on Chid who smiled at her broadly. "You look really nice," he mouthed. Her cheeks flushed.
"Thanks," she said back. She pinched herself and tore her eyes away from the handsome duke.
Millerna stifled a giggle, watching the exchange. He is so his father's son. She put a hand to her mouth to muffle her laughter. Fifteen years ago, she wouldn't have laughed at that. But, just like Merle, that old love was gone and she was more than happy with what she had. How she'd managed to fall in love with Dryden, she didn't know, but if it was one thing she'd learned from Hitomi, it was to not question fate. She would always care for Allen, but he would never be a husband, or a lover. A brother-in-law however…
"…We hope that the successor will continue the traditions held up by our country. He…"
"What makes him so sure it'll be a he?" Hitomi whispered. "We could have a daughter."
Van snickered. "I think that's a part of those traditions, making the boy the heir. Although, if we have a daughter that's anything like you…"
Hitomi kicked him lightly in the shin. "When's this going to be over with? I'm starving."
"Me, too. I haven't eaten all day," he whispered back. "It's been well over an hour already."
Hitomi chuckled. "Look at Dryden and Kyle," she pointed out. The two men had their heads bent together over a sheet of paper and were whispering quietly. Every so often, Dryden would scribble furiously. "I think they're doing their taxes."
Van nodded his agreement. "Wake me up when this is over," he said, his eyelids drooping. He leaned on her shoulder. She pushed at him lightly, half asleep herself. All around them, the crowd was dozing. A few royal guards were even snoring aloud.
Having given up their game of tic-tac-toe, on account that Mia was now snoozing in her mother's arms,
Nikki hopped on one foot in place impatiently. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.
"Will you just say 'kiss the bride' so we can leave already? My tummy hurts." Her outburst awakened the crowd, arousing laughs and even a "Here, here!"
The priest pursed his lips. He glanced at Van, who snapped to attention.
"Please," Van said sheepishly, "it's been a very long day."
"As you wish, your majesty," he said a hint of disapproval in his tone. "You may kiss the bride."
"Finally!" came the cries of the entire bridal party.
Van grinned and pulled Hitomi close to him. "Finally," he said softly. He pressed his lips against hers and the crowd erupted into cheers.
She smiled at him. "Finally."
* * * * * *
"May I have your attention please?" Allen said, rising from his seat. Everyone ignored him. He cleared his throat loudly. "AHEM!" That got their attention. One by one, they turned to him expectantly.
"I know you've probably heard enough talking today to last you a life time…" The priest snorted, looking irritated. "But," Allen continued," I'll try to make it quick. As most of us know, this event was a long time in coming, fifteen years in fact. I have to say I don't believe I've ever seen any couple who had to go through what they did. But they loved eachother and that loved helped them through it, even if they didn't realize it until the very end. But I won't go into that; it's much too long. Anyway, now, after fifteen years they still have that love and are finally together again. I hope that they will enjoy all the happiness in the world." He raised his glass. "A toast. To King Van and Queen Hitomi!"
"To King Van and Queen Hitomi!" The crowd echoed.
Allen sat back down. Hitomi rubbed her eyes. "Thank you, Allen."
"It's nothing to cry over," Van said, handing her a cloth napkin.
"It's my wedding and I'll cry if I want to," she retorted. The girls giggled.
Princess Eries came over to the table, Tatiana trailing behind her.
"Congratulations, you two," she said warmly.
"Thank you, Princess Eries." Hitomi smiled at her, her eyes dry once again.
A servant came to their table carrying a glass bottle. He filled their glasses with a rich, red wine.
"Thank you," Van said to him. He bowed his head and hurried back to the kitchens.
Hitomi took a sip. "Excellent choice of wine," she commented.
Princess Eries nodded. "I thought so. I tried to find the one with the least amount of alcohol."
Allen, who'd just had taken a rather large sip, choked, nearly dropping his glass. Tatiana and Millerna patted his back roughly. He swallowed, then burst into laughter.
Hitomi flushed a deep red. "I was only fifteen," she protested. "I'd never had it before and I was upset." This only made his laughter louder, which was caught by Van, Merle, Eries and Millerna. The others looked at them, bewildered, not understanding the joke.
"It's a long story," Van explained when he was able to control himself.
Harumi raised her eyebrows at him. "You'll have to tell us later. Right now, I have to do my part in this." She stood up and went over to whisper something to the musicians.
"What's she going to do?" Hitomi asked curiously.
Chid grinned. "You'll see."
Harumi sat down at the piano and played a chord. The musicians joined in, playing a lovely melody that Hitomi instantly recognized.
"What is it?" Van asked.
"It's one of my favorite songs from the Mystic Moon," Hitomi replied. "It is called "Yakusoku wa Iranai." I'll translate for you later." She sat back in her chair, enjoying her cousin's voice. When she was finished, everyone applauded loudly. Harumi blushed and went back to the others.
Hitomi hugged her. "You were wonderful," she gushed.
"Thanks. I wasn't sure what to get you for a wedding gift, so I figured…" She shrugged apologetically.
Hitomi squeezed her tightly. "I couldn't ask for a better present."
The musicians, with a new inspiration by that performance, began to play a lively waltz. "I'd hate to interrupt the moment," Van cut in, "but I'd like to dance with my wife if you don't mind."
Hitomi took his hand and he led her on the dance floor. Slowly, other couples drifted in after the bride and groom, including Merle and Kyle, Millerna and Dryden, Allen and Eries, a still blushing Harumi and Chid, and the three little girls dancing in a circle.
"Well," Van said, "everything went smoothly tonight."
Hitomi smiled at him. "Yeah, no invisible guymelefs charging in, burning the entire country down, all in all, a perfect day. So we have nothing to worry about." Van nodded in agreement.
It was a perfect day. But, in Gaea, perfect doesn't last forever. And, for one of the first times, Hitomi's prediction was wrong.